Loose Wet
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–1.5
Watch for small, wet instabilities on warm slopes as the day heats up and surface crusts break down. Although the heat wave has peaked, continued warm temperatures, a poorer radiational refreeze overnight due to high clouds, and sunny skies this afternoon keep this problem on the list.
A small wet loose slide in Powder Bowl yesterday afternoon highlights the most suspect areas to find unstable wet snow - steep (>35 degrees), sunny slopes, especially those near rocky terrain features. Even small releases of loose, wet snow can be dangerous in extreme terrain like gullies or cliffs and on long, sustained slopes.
Traveling earlier in the day while snow surfaces are most supportable can decrease your exposure to wet snow instabilities and increase your chances of finding quality skiing and riding conditions. If you observe signs that the upper snowpack is losing strength, such as rollerballs or sinking into mushy snow past your ankles, seek mellower or shadier terrain.
Give cornices a wide berth when moving both above and below them.
(3/19/2026)
Skier-triggered wet surface snow sliding on a shallow crust. The snow felt greasy as it slid atop the crust. South, 8,300 feet, 1pm.
Photo: Christian Jordan